ABC's World News, which on Tuesday skipped Michelle Obama's comment that “for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country,” on Wednesday finally got to it, but only minimally as George Stephanopoulos praised her “good damage control” and declared: “I don't think it's going to be a huge deal.” Hard for it to become “a huge deal” when a broadcast network's most-watched news program doesn't bother to report it. On Wednesday, the World News campaign stories again ignored the remark and the newscast only arrived on the story in anchor Charles Gibson's last question to Stephanopoulos.
Gibson played the comment, then explained: “Now she said today what she was talking about, or meant to say, was that she was proud of how many people are now taking part in the political process. Is this a big deal? Is it a tempest in a teapot?” Stephanopoulos was pleased by her explanation: “Ah, well that was good damage control by Michelle Obama.” He acknowledged “her first comment was a mistake,” but “as long as this isn't repeated, as long as they don't dig the hole deeper -- she did start to dig out today -- I don't think it's going to be a huge deal.”
My February 19 NewsBusters posting, “Burden on Cindy McCain Over Michelle Obama's Lack of Pride in U.S.,” recounted:
Michelle Obama proclaimed that “for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country,” but instead of putting the burden on the Obama campaign to defend her admission of a lack of pride in her nation, NBC on Tuesday night framed its coverage around Cindy McCain's “rhetoric” in issuing a “political jab” over the remark and concern over whether that “was a knock at Michelle Obama?” But at least NBC highlighted the comment from Monday. ABC's World News didn't utter a word about it while CBS's Jim Axelrod pointed out how the Obama “campaign says don't slice apart the quote to infer she's not a patriot.”
ABC did mention the remark the next morning, on Wednesday's Good Morning America, the MRC's Scott Whitlock informed me. From a story by Jake Tapper:
JAKE TAPPER: Their wives are in a preview of that fight. Fodder was provided by Michelle Obama.MICHELLE OBAMA: For the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change.
TAPPER: That led Cindy McCain to say this.
CINDY McCAIN: I'm proud of my country. I don't know about you, if you heard those words earlier. I'm very proud of my country.
TAPPER: Obama took to his wife's defense in an interview in WOAI radio in San Antonio.
SENATOR BARACK OBAMA: What she meant was, this is the first time that she's been proud of the politics of America.
Wednesday's NBC Nightly News followed-up with Michelle Obama's clarification:
LEE COWAN: Today she was defending herself after a remark she made over the weekend that caused a stir, even among some liberals.MICHELLE OBAMA, ON MONDAY: For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country.
COWAN: That was not a slam, she says. She explained today her pride was perfectly placed.
MICHELLE OBAMA: I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the possibilities of America. I mean, I talked about it. I mean, my father was a city worker, I went to Princeton and Harvard.
The Gibson-Stephanopoulos exchange on the Wednesday, February 20 World News on ABC, the newscast's first mention of Michelle Obama's lack of pride in her country:
CHARLES GIBSON: One other thing I want to raise: Michelle Obama said something on Monday -- the Clinton campaign trying to jump on every potential mistake that the Obama campaign makes -- Michelle Obama said something on Monday that they are talking a lot about Let’s take a look.MICHELLE OBAMA, ON MONDAY: For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback.
GIBSON: “For the first time I am proud of my country.” Now she said today what she was talking about, or meant to say, was that she was proud of how many people are now taking part in the political process. Is this a big deal? Is it a tempest in a teapot?
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Ah, well that was good damage control by Michelle Obama. There’s no question that her first comment was a mistake and the campaign knows that. But I think voters give a fair amount of leeway to the spouses of candidates. As long as this isn’t repeated, as long as they don’t dig the hole deeper -- she did start to dig out today -- I don’t think it’s going to be a huge deal.
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
A huge deal?
February 21, 2008 - 05:53 ET by RonCWhat if a Republican wife said, "Now that Democrat voters have began to line up behind Obama, I'm truely ashamed of America." - do you think it would take longer than a hot millisecond for a MSM blabbermouth to call that blatant racism?
It would be 'huge' alright.
But when a black man's wife suddenly finds she can at last be 'proud of America' - because her black husband is getting winning votes, everyone sees no racism in her statement? I'm sorry... but, the bigotry of the left knows no bounds.
The main point is......
February 21, 2008 - 06:01 ET by old croYou would never hear a Republican's wife bad talking this country. Sorry to say, it has become the all to common "modus operandi" of the other side of the isle, the actors and thier supporting cast.
PS
February 21, 2008 - 06:04 ET by old croThe deal is "hugh" and very "series".
Fourth Dixie Chick
February 21, 2008 - 05:58 ET by Cool ArrowFour years Princeton, four years Harvard, and now she wants to be the fourth Dixie Chick.
I say let her in.
♣ a seal
You gotta love it: the
February 21, 2008 - 06:06 ET by motherbeltYou gotta love it: the pundits talk about an issue as if it has a will of its own to stay or go, when they are the ones who make the decision.
When the media say "The issue is not going away," that's a declaration that they have no intention of letting it die.
Similarly, by saying "I don't think it's going to be a huge deal," Stephanopoulos is declaring the media's intention to ignore it.
Excellent point MB. When
February 21, 2008 - 10:02 ET by JerryExcellent point MB.
When asked if he went to war with Iraq to derail the impeachment vote: “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).
Damage control
February 21, 2008 - 06:59 ET by Mr. TerryGeorge Stephanopoulos praised her “good damage control” and declared: “I don't think it's going to be a huge deal.”
George Steponallofus was the one trying to do damage control.
“A nation that cannot secure its borders is not a nation.” Ronald Reagan
Mr. Terry, you have to
February 21, 2008 - 07:18 ET by motherbeltMr. Terry, you have to remember that Steffie cut his teeth during the Bill Clinton campaign, which is when "journalists" began analyzing "spin" and the "mechanics" of the campaign rather than real news. So rather than cover the story, he prefers to cover how the Obama campaign "deals" with the story.
Pathetic, but true.
Hope she has hip waders
February 21, 2008 - 08:06 ET by catnamedjakeI don't care what the MSM says, she's not getting away with this one. Why is it OK for her to say something so obviously racially motivated? I'm sure Al & Jessie got some votes. It couldn't have been any clearer that the one and only thing she cares about is having her husband win and be the (literal) first black president.
Correct me if I'm wrong,
February 21, 2008 - 08:27 ET by JerCorrect me if I'm wrong, but hasn't the conventional wisdom at NewsBusters held that a.) Stephanopoulos was a thinly-disguised Clinton media operative, and b.) MoveOn.org was a "front" organization for the Clintons?
Strange then that the former would defend Mrs. Obama, and the latter would endorse her husband for President.
Jer
Jer
February 21, 2008 - 08:30 ET by Cool ArrowMoveOn has definitely shifted to O'bama (Irish lad). And Snuffy still has his nose in the air.
♣ a seal
You're not wrong Jer, but
February 21, 2008 - 08:41 ET by KC BeachThe situation has changed and Steffie and Soros can see the writing on the wall and know threat HRC is done. They don't mind because HRC was taken down, not by a conservative, but by someone even more liberal than Hillary. So that makes everything OK.I still want someone to explain to me why it if a white person votes for a white person because they are white it is racist but if a black person votes for a black person because they are black that is expected.
The supposed "front"
February 21, 2008 - 10:03 ET by motherbeltJer, the supposed "front" organization for the Clintons is MediaMatters, not MoveOn.
MoveOn.org deserted Her Royal Clintoness some time ago because she was not far to the left for them. They support Obama for President because he is the farthest left and he says that he will pull troops out of Iraq right away.
No, I'm referring to MoveOn...not MediaMatters.
February 21, 2008 - 21:01 ET by JerNo, I'm referring to MoveOn...not MediaMatters.
But, perhaps my definition of "front organization" requires some adjustment. I generally have understood it to be an entity which was under the de facto control of certain individuals or groups whose interests were directly advanced by and through the "front organization" even though such fact might not be readily apparent to [being that it is deliberately concealed from] the general public.
A few months ago (9/24/07: Russert Lets Hillary Off Hook Concerning MoveOn's 'Betray Us' Ad), my friend fitzfong observed:
MoveOn is a Clinton front group. She [Hillary] has everything to do with the [Petraous] ad.
To which bigtimer replied:
Triple Bingo Fitz. I have posted as such before...so has Rog and JDW I think. It just gets old digging up the links to all of this and few pay attention...lol. I just get sick of the msm ignoring the connections...but nothing new there now is there?
I just find it odd that an organization supposedly controlled by the Clintons would endorse the candidacy of Hillary's opponent in the heat of a bitterly contested, virtually neck and neck, race to be the party's nominee.
Jer
I would have to say that
February 21, 2008 - 09:20 ET by ConservativeRexI would have to say that all the Obammys are left of the MSM. This outfit is the furthest left candidate we've had since McGovern (who I believe to be an outright commie, another story). It would be best for McCain to start hammering this leftist at every turn. Now Obammy is going to have to put up some of his cockamamie ideas is front of the voting public.
None of this HOPE BS. Hope is for "I hope it doesn't rain" it's not for "I hope Iran doesn't launch a missile at us".
We don't get this straightened out pretty damn quick we are going to be in a helluva pickle. Roll your sleeves up fellas.
Play to the base, then "explain meaning" later
February 21, 2008 - 09:57 ET by krendler[ Gibson played the comment, then explained: “Now she said today what she
was talking about, or meant to say, was that she was proud of how many
people are now taking part in the political process. " ]
Gee, why didn't she simply say "I'm proud of how people are taking part in the political process" in her speech, rather than "For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country"?
Why? Because she got to slam "bad, evil, racist, oppressive America" with the latter (and the crowd loved it), but not with the former.
Standard Obama bs: Use the most outlandish, America-hating, class-warefare rhetoric possible at these "electric, packed-to-the-rafters" Obama revivals/concerts to get the cultists energized, then when certain comments get too much attention outside the compound, use the "Oh, this is what I meant to say" line and then say something totally different for the rational human beings to hear.
Macaca vs Honky Racists
February 21, 2008 - 11:17 ET by Hunter12George Allen 'insults' one guy and is drummed out of the presidential race by the MSM. Michelle Obama insults everyone in America and gets a pass from the press. I'm sorry if someone else puts a different defintion on her statement, but when I heard it, that's what I thought she was saying. [“for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country”] What is happening that she hasn't experienced before? Her husband is being embraced by the liberals in the country and pushed to the forefront in a presidential race. People are ignoring creed and skin color in making their choice. [I think they are also ignoring substance and experience, but that's a personal opinion. This guy needs a couple of terms in the Senate to get seasoned.] I think Michelle is saying that America stopped being honky racists and voted for her man. I considered him, but my rejection had nothing to do with race. It's the lack of any defintion on his positions. His take on how he'll end the ME conflict in a year is naive. Universal healthcare will bankrupt the country, if illegal immigration doesn't do it first. Or worse, universal healthcare for illegal immigrants and them sending their income back home instead of putting it back into the economy here. I could go on [and I have in the past].
"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." - Sir Winston Churchill
Explanation?
February 21, 2008 - 11:42 ET by iveseenitallIn Rhode Island, Affirmative Action Michelle made it worse. She still didn't say she was wrong. She still stuck to the fact that she was proud of her husband and what America is doing for him. Never did she explain how proud she is of the country, for all that has made it the greatest nation on earth. The MSM (except FOX) deliberately ignores her non-apology and non-explanation. This woman is a phony lefty, big-time. She's an Affirmative Action liberal, someone who admits she didn't have the test scores to get admitted to the Ivy League, but got in anyway. I wonder why. Beware of the Obamas.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
Dealing with this MSM you
February 21, 2008 - 12:02 ET by ConservativeRexDealing with this MSM you have to use a little change up in the old saw "who you going to believe, me, or your lying ears"?
This is turning out to be one of the most ridiculous things I have ever witnessed. I was watching Mrs Obama, I clearly heard what she said, I have a very clear understanding of her intentions, and yet the media insist on telling me.."well, that's really not what she said or meant"!
If anyone from the mainstream media reads this blog, know that you have zero credibility left with anyone above a two digit IQ. You might just as well quit printing your papers, quit your newscast, and I guess just talk amongst yourselves because no one believes anything you have to say.
Funny, whenever they try to
February 21, 2008 - 12:05 ET by JerryFunny, whenever they try to tell us what a democrat "really" meant, it is always something innocent and innocuous. When they try to tell us what a republican "really" meant, it is always something mean-spirited, hateful, and vindictive.
When asked if he went to war with Iraq to derail the impeachment vote: “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).
Great point
February 21, 2008 - 14:01 ET by iveseenitallGreat point, Jerry. It's Double-Speak in action.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"